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Athens' bumpy ride to Olympics ends with lavish ceremony

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Aug 14, 2004, 2:30:03 AM8/14/04

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Athens' bumpy ride to Olympics ends with lavish ceremony

Associated Press
Aug. 13, 2004 10:20 AM

ATHENS, Greece - The Olympics returned home Friday to a lavish welcome =
in an opening ceremony invoking Greek mythology, civilization and =
culture and closing an epic circle in sports: from the games' =
19th-century rebirth to the latest gathering of the world's greatest =
athletes in an age beset by fears of terrorism and instability.

At dusk, a countdown video filled the screen at the recently upgraded =
Olympic Stadium - 28 seconds, one for each of the games scheduled since =
the first modern Olympiad in 1896 in Athens. Each tick of the clock was =
accompanied by the amplified sound of a human heartbeat.

Then, with a blast of fireworks around the stadium roof, the ceremony =
was under way. Minutes later, the five Olympic rings were ablaze in fire =
in the middle of a manmade "sea" in the middle of the stadium.

The extravaganza was a victory for Greek organizers, who managed to pull =
together the 2004 Games despite serious construction delays, worldwide =
skepticism and terrorist worries that pushed the security price tag to =
the most expensive in Olympic history and required help from NATO and =
other nations.

"The great moment as come!" cried the announcer in the stadium. Moments =
later, the parade of nations began led by Greek weightlifter Pyrros =
Dimas, who is seeking his fourth consecutive gold medal at the games.

A round-the-clock work blitz - under broiling sun and blinding =
spotlights - managed to accomplish what many had considered out of =
reach: pulling together the vast network of venues, transport links, =
villages and security needed for the athletes and heads of state at the =
first Summer Games since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Earlier, an International Olympic Committee member who helped oversee =
the preparations noted how much was at stake.

"I think you have saved Greece and saved the IOC from great =
humiliation," Alex Gilady told Athens organizers.

But the pride and relief of Greek organizers was tempered by a doping =
scandal that could threaten the country's biggest track stars - =
200-meter champion Kostas Kenteris and 100-meter silver medalist =
Katerina Thanou.

Kenteris had been considered the favorite to light the Olympic cauldron. =
Instead, he and Thanou were hospitalized with minor injuries following a =
motorcycle wreck. The accident came after the two were accused of =
evading a drug test, and they might miss the games.

Greek taxpayers also are starting to tally up the worrying bill. =
Officials say the games will exceed $7.2 billion, and some analysts say =
it could hit a staggering $12 billion, including a record $1.5 billion =
for security.

Under a new weblike stadium canopy - finally bolted into place only last =
month - the modern heirs of the Olympics hoped to make the world forget =
the bumpy road to the opening ceremony and concentrate instead on the 16 =
days of competition.

Not surprisingly, Greek mythology played a central role in the =
extravaganza that officially began the Olympiad, a big-budget show =
running from reverent tradition to Las Vegas-style pageantry.

After the burning Olympic flames subsided, a boy on a replica of a ship =
then sailed into the arena, waving a small Greek flag.

Then a centaur - the mythological half-man, half-horse - waded into the =
water and tossed a spear of light representing a javelin. From the =
center of the stadium rose a statue representing an ancient form from =
Greece's Cyclades islands. The form broke apart to reveal other figures =
from Greek history.

The ancient god of love, Eros, flew above two lovers dancing and playing =
in the water. Then Eros hovered over a procession of figures from Greek =
history - from ancient vase paintings to a tribute to the Greek =
shepherd, Spiros Louis, who won the first Olympic marathon.

Spectators participated in the main ceremony by clapping and using =
flashlights and bells when signaled. The Icelandic singer Bjork was one =
of the night's headliners.

The main part of the ceremony was designed to be "an allegoric journey =
of the evolution of human consciousness ... from the mythological =
perception of the world to the logical," said Dimitri Papaioannou, the =
concept creator of the ceremony.

The parade of nations had a distinct Athens stamp.

Greece, because of its links to the ancient games, entered first, as =
usual. But, as the host nation, Greek athletes also were the last into =
the stadium in the biggest procession in Olympic history.

Among the 10,500 athletes under 202 flags: the debut appearance of =
competitors from the sprinkling of Pacific atolls known as Kiribati, and =
the return of Afghanistan after an eight-year absence, with Afghan women =
for the first time. Huge cheers went up for the Afghan athletes, led by =
a female flagbearer - coach Nina Suratger in a shimmering green costume.

All along, Greek officials continually described the Olympics as a way =
to shed the country's reputation as a parochial and unruly corner of the =
European Union. The transport minister even said drivers' respect for =
Olympic lanes shows Greece can be "civilized."

The Olympic deadlines forced projects long taken for granted in other =
European capitals: highways around city centers, a serious subway and =
rail network and efforts to preserve architectural landmarks.

"No country has been more underrated than Greece," said the chief =
organizer, Gianna Angelopoulos-Dasalaki.

In the stadium, she proclaimed: "Greece is standing before you. We are =
ready. ... We have waited long for this moment. Olympic Games, welcome =
home."
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<H2>Athens' bumpy ride to Olympics ends with lavish =
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 Associated Press Aug. 13, 2004 10:20 AM

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the=20
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recently=20
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scheduled since=20
the first modern Olympiad in 1896 in Athens. Each tick of the clock was=20
accompanied by the amplified sound of a human heartbeat. Then, =
with a=20
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victory for=20
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serious=20
construction delays, worldwide skepticism and terrorist worries that =
pushed the=20
security price tag to the most expensive in Olympic history and required =
help=20
from NATO and other nations. "The great moment as come!" cried =
the=20
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villages=20
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Summer=20
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Olympic=20
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at=20
stake. "I think you have saved Greece and saved the IOC from =
great=20
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and=20
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threaten=20
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and=20
100-meter silver medalist Katerina Thanou. Kenteris had been =
considered=20
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accident came=20
after the two were accused of evading a drug test, and they might miss =
the=20
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bill.=20
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it could=20
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security. Under a new weblike stadium canopy - finally bolted =
into place=20
only last month - the modern heirs of the Olympics hoped to make the =
world=20
forget the bumpy road to the opening ceremony and concentrate instead on =
the 16=20
days of competition. Not surprisingly, Greek mythology played a =
central=20
role in the extravaganza that officially began the Olympiad, a =
big-budget show=20
running from reverent tradition to Las Vegas-style =
pageantry. After the=20
burning Olympic flames subsided, a boy on a replica of a ship then =
sailed into=20
the arena, waving a small Greek flag. Then a centaur - the =
mythological=20
half-man, half-horse - waded into the water and tossed a spear of light=20
representing a javelin. From the center of the stadium rose a statue=20
representing an ancient form from Greece's Cyclades islands. The form =
broke=20
apart to reveal other figures from Greek history. The ancient god =
of=20
love, Eros, flew above two lovers dancing and playing in the water. Then =
Eros=20
hovered over a procession of figures from Greek history - from ancient =
vase=20
paintings to a tribute to the Greek shepherd, Spiros Louis, who won the =
first=20
Olympic marathon. Spectators participated in the main ceremony by =

clapping and using flashlights and bells when signaled. The Icelandic =
singer=20
Bjork was one of the night's headliners. The main part of the =
ceremony=20
was designed to be "an allegoric journey of the evolution of human =
consciousness=20
... from the mythological perception of the world to the logical," said =
Dimitri=20
Papaioannou, the concept creator of the ceremony. The parade of =
nations=20
had a distinct Athens stamp. Greece, because of its links to the =
ancient=20
games, entered first, as usual. But, as the host nation, Greek athletes =
also=20
were the last into the stadium in the biggest procession in Olympic=20
history. Among the 10,500 athletes under 202 flags: the debut =
appearance=20
of competitors from the sprinkling of Pacific atolls known as Kiribati, =
and the=20
return of Afghanistan after an eight-year absence, with Afghan women for =
the=20
first time. Huge cheers went up for the Afghan athletes, led by a female =

flagbearer - coach Nina Suratger in a shimmering green =
costume. All=20
along, Greek officials continually described the Olympics as a way to =
shed the=20
country's reputation as a parochial and unruly corner of the European =
Union. The=20
transport minister even said drivers' respect for Olympic lanes shows =
Greece can=20
be "civilized." The Olympic deadlines forced projects long taken =
for=20
granted in other European capitals: highways around city centers, a =
serious=20
subway and rail network and efforts to preserve architectural=20
landmarks. "No country has been more underrated than Greece," =
said the=20
chief organizer, Gianna Angelopoulos-Dasalaki. In the stadium, =
she=20
proclaimed: "Greece is standing before you. We are ready. ... We have =
waited=20
long for this moment. Olympic Games, welcome home."=20
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